As thousands of Zimbabweans leave South Africa and return home amid rising anti-foreigner sentiment, Zimbabwe’s mobile network operators could be emerging as unlikely winners.
For many returnees, one of the first things they do after crossing the border is swap their South African phone numbers for local ones, abandoning MTN, Vodacom, Cell C and Telkom in favour of Econet, NetOne and Telecel.
It is a quiet but significant shift that reflects changing migration patterns and presents a fresh business opportunity for Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector.
From +27 to +263
The trend hit home when my uncle recently returned from South Africa. After years of using a South African mobile number, he immediately switched to a Zimbabwean +263 line.
His experience mirrors that of many Zimbabweans who are choosing to permanently relocate back home following growing concerns over xenophobic attacks, anti-foreigner protests and tightening immigration enforcement in parts of South Africa, particularly Gauteng.
While the exact number of returning Zimbabweans is unclear, transport operators and accommodation providers have reported increased movement back into Zimbabwe in recent months.
South African Businesses Feeling the Impact
The departure of foreign nationals has not gone unnoticed in South Africa.
Businesses that relied heavily on migrant communities, including landlords, transport operators, informal traders and retailers, have openly voiced concern over declining customer numbers.
With fewer commuters using taxis, fewer tenants renting accommodation and fewer customers buying daily essentials, some sectors are already beginning to feel the financial strain.
The telecommunications industry is also likely to be affected as former customers disconnect South African SIM cards and stop purchasing local airtime and data bundles.
A Potential Windfall for Zimbabwe
For Zimbabwe’s mobile operators, however, the trend could translate into thousands of new subscribers.
Every returning citizen who buys a local SIM card, airtime or mobile data bundle contributes to industry revenue and, indirectly, government tax collections.
Economists have long noted that increased domestic spending strengthens economic activity, and telecommunications is among the sectors likely to benefit if the return migration continues.
Industry observers say the influx also presents an opportunity for operators to expand their customer base through attractive onboarding packages targeting returning Zimbabweans.
Offering free SIM cards, affordable data packages or special welcome promotions could help networks secure long-term customers.
Time to Improve Network Capacity?
The growing subscriber base also raises another challenge.
If more people are joining local networks, operators may need to invest in additional infrastructure to maintain service quality.
Customers have frequently complained about dropped calls, slow internet speeds and network congestion.
The latest migration trend could become the catalyst for long-overdue upgrades to improve coverage, expand capacity and enhance customer experience.
Reliable connectivity will become even more important as Zimbabwe continues embracing digital banking, online commerce and mobile-based public services.
Could Government Benefit Too?
The increase in mobile usage also has broader economic implications.
Every airtime purchase, data bundle and mobile transaction contributes to government revenue through various taxes and levies.
Some observers argue that stronger revenue collections from a growing subscriber base could eventually create room for policymakers to review certain telecom-related taxes and charges that consumers have long criticised.
Whether such policy changes materialise remains to be seen.
Opportunity Hidden in Migration
While South Africa grapples with the economic consequences of losing thousands of foreign residents, Zimbabwe may be presented with an unexpected opportunity.
What South African operators lose in subscribers, Zimbabwean networks stand to gain.
The challenge now is whether Econet, NetOne and Telecel can seize the moment by improving network quality, expanding capacity and offering competitive products that encourage returning Zimbabweans to stay connected on local networks.
As more people swap +27 for +263, the country’s telecommunications industry could quietly become one of the biggest beneficiaries of Zimbabwe’s reverse migration.
“Every returning Zimbabwean who switches to a local SIM card is more than just a new customer – it is an opportunity to grow the digital economy, strengthen tax revenue and accelerate investment in better network infrastructure.”
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